Visitors and members of the public who are unfamiliar with the building and procedures are advised that:

(a)      The fire alarm is a continuous loud ringing. In the event that a fire drill is planned during the meeting, the Chair will advise of this.

(b)      Exit routes from the chamber are located on each side of the room, one directly to a fire escape, the other to the stairs opposite the lifts.

(c)      In the event of the alarm sounding, leave the building via the nearest safe exit and gather at the assembly point on the far side of the car park. Do not leave the assembly point or re-enter the building until advised to do so. Do not use the lifts.

(d)      Anyone unable to use the stairs should make themselves known during this agenda item.

The Chair outlined the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their families or friends.

The Chair will ask Members if they have any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) or disclosable non-pecuniary interests (DNPIs) to declare in respect of items on the agenda. Members with a DPI in an item must leave the room for that item and may not participate in the debate or vote. 

Aside from disclosable interests, where a fair-minded and informed observer would think there was a real possibility that a Member might be biased or predetermined on an item, the Member should declare this and leave the room while that item is considered.

Members who are in any doubt about interests, bias or predetermination should contact the monitoring officer for advice prior to the meeting.

No interests were declared.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 January 2023 (Minute Nos. 565 – 572) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 January 2023 (Minute Nos. 565 – 572) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

The Head of Environment and Leisure introduced the report which set out the detail of the motion which was presented to Full Council on 7 December 2022 where Members had recommended that the motion be referred to the Environment Committee.  He explained that the word ‘disposable’ needed to be removed from the report title, so that it reflected the sentiments of the motion.  The Head of Environment and Leisure referred to the motion set out at Appendix I of the report and the proposed measures within the motion and said that it related to all barbeques, not solely disposable ones (as this only related to one of the recommendations), and hence the change to the report title.  He outlined the mechanisms that could be put in place to take this forward and explained that the Council lacked evidence that barbeques were a problem in open spaces and that there was a lack of resources to take enforcement action.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments and these included:

·         The report sets out the issues of barbecues in open spaces and the challenges in enforcement;

·         in addition to recommendation (2), the impact on the use of barbeques within Swale needed to be monitored;

·         there needed to be a complete ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, as if they were for sale, they would be bought and used;

·         acknowledged that enforcement could be difficult;

·         considered the report did not set out the motion’s objectives in full;

·         supported a ban on barbeques in public open spaces;

·         the Government needed to ban the sale of disposable barbeques;

·         there was merit in moving this forward carefully;

·         this needed to be amended to make it ‘tougher’ and more in line with the motion;

·         needed to consider that some organisations might want to offer a barbeque as part of their event; and

·         these proposed measures were to deter irresponsible use of barbeques.

In response to a Member’s suggestion that the recommendation be amended, the Chair said that he would not accept the amendment and reminded Members that any amendment should have been submitted prior to the meeting, as set out in the constitution.  He added that he considered the report to be a detailed overview and that it proposed a sensible way forward. In reviewing what was happening within the Borough, officers could come back with more proposals at a later date when more was known. 

Further comments from Members included:

·         Acknowledged the Chair’s discretion to accept an amendment or not, but considered the report was not in the spirit of the motion that went to Full Council;

·         it was unfortunate that there was no debate on the motion at Council;

·         the use of Public Space Protection orders allowed the issue of fixed penalty notices on the spot, rather than the resource issues of implementing the relevant byelaw;

·         suggested there be a fixed date for the monitoring results to come back to the committee;

·         paragraph 2.4 in the report was not specific to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 760.

The Greenspaces Manager introduced the report which set out background information and options to consider, following the request received at the Sheppey Area Committee on 22 September 2022 that the issue of reinstating the horse-riding circle in Scrapsgate Field, Minster be referred to the Environment Committee.  He gave an overview of the site, as set out in the report, and explained that in 2012, the land was registered as a Village Green under The Commons Act 2006.  This meant that the Council, as owner of the land, could not interfere with activities on the space.  The Greenspaces Manager explained that there was an option to return to cutting the grass, but because of budget constraints, this would be reduced from maintaining the whole site in a rough-cut maintenance regime, to cutting a specific area three times a year, and this would be reviewed to see the effectiveness of this option.  He added that he had tried to contact the riding group who had initially raised the issue at the Sheppey Area Committee, but had so far been unsuccessful.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments and these included:

·         Welcomed this initiative;

·         suggested the riding group contributed to the cost of maintaining the mown area;

·         the riding group should be encouraged to clear up any mess from the horses; and

·         suggested Minster Parish Council be asked to get involved and contribute to the cost as well.

In response, the Greenspaces Manager explained that the use of the land was informal, and would continue to be so.  He said that horse mess on the field had not been an issue in the past and that he would continue to make contact with the riding group and see whether they could make a contribution to the grass-cutting and he would also liaise with Minster Parish Council.

Councillor David Simmons proposed the recommendations and these were seconded by Councillor Tim Valentine.

Resolved:

(1)      That regular grass cutting for an informal horse-riding area on Scrapsgate Field, by reducing maintenance elsewhere on the site, be agreed.

(2)      That the Head of Environment and Leisure, in consultation with the Environment Committee Chair, reviews the arrangements after a year to ensure the operational success and health and safety of the changes.

The Environmental Contracts Manager introduced the report which set out an option for the future of waste collections in Marine Town, Sheerness, and sought approval of the suggested option to roll out food waste collections and alternate weekly refuse and recycling collections from September 2023.  She explained the background to the Alternate Weekly Collections (AWC) scheme as set out in the report and that Government had said that every local authority should provide food waste collection by 2025.  The Environmental Contracts Manager said that a survey had been carried out with Marine Town residents who had been in support of AWC and food waste collection.  She said that this would help to improve recycling rates.  It was hoped that this would be in place prior to the commencement of the new waste contract.  The Environment Services Manager outlined the environmental benefits of the scheme which included the conversion of the food waste to compost; and that the scheme would result in there having to be fewer vehicles in the area for the collection of waste.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments and these included:

·         As a visiting Ward Member, considered this had been ‘a long time coming’ and was delighted that this was moving forward;

·         some properties on the weekly collection were putting out numerous black sacks of rubbish and this needed to be monitored going forward as in some areas the rubbish left out was on an industrial scale, rather than residential, in terms of the amount;

·         supported this initiative;

·         congratulated officers for the waste survey carried out in 2022, which had been a great success; and

·         clarification sought on whether residual and recycling waste would remain in sacks.

In response, Members were advised that data would be collected from the scheme to see the impact of the collection of food waste on residual waste figures.  The  Environmental Contracts Manager said the number of black sacks left out would be monitored; communications would be sent out about the scheme and it would be monitored during its first three months.  Most households in the area would remain with black sacks, rather than bins.

Councillor Tim Valentine proposed the recommendations and these were seconded by Councillor Steve Davey.

Resolved:

(1)      That the implementation of the next stage of the Marine Town food waste project and the proposed methodology be approved.

Western Area Committee – 1 December 2022 link to minutes

Flooding in rural areas

Excerpt from minutes:

‘Due to changing weather patterns, drains were not able to cope and this was now a problem for some residents in the Western area.  Members felt that this matter was beyond KCC and should be taken up with the Government as a proper funding package was needed to deal with the issue.  It was agreed that the Chair would refer the matter to the Environment Committee Chair.’

Resolved:

1)    That the Chair of the Western Area Committee raised the matter of increased incidences of flooding due to changing weather patterns to the Chair of the Environment Committee with a view to this being taken up with the Government as a proper funding package was needed to deal with the issue.

The Chair introduced the item as set out on the agenda front.  He sought endorsement from the committee to write a letter to the Government.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions and make comments and these included:

·         In support, but wondered if officers were already dealing with this sort of issue;

·         this type of flooding affected areas throughout the Borough;

·         additional funding was needed from Central Government; and

·         the Local Government Association (LGA) should also be contacted.

The Chair understood that there had been discussions with Kent County Council about flooding issues, but further intervention was now required, hence the decision to write to Central Government.  He said that he would request that proper funding was needed so that the relevant agencies could address the required mitigation measures.  The Chair asked Members for examples of specific issues in their wards which he could include in the letter.

Resolved:

(1)      That the Chair of the Environment Committee wrote to Central Government to outline the flooding issues throughout the Borough and requested that a proper funding package was provided to deal with the issue.

The Head of Environment and Leisure gave an update, as below:

·         Climate and Ecological Emergency Action Plan – re-allocation of funds, to be added to the June 2023 meeting; and

·         Motion to ban barbeques in public open spaces – an update, to be added late 2023.

Resolved:

(1)      That the report be noted and updated as minuted.